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by fer1213
Summary: Spoilers for "Angel" 5x20. My Spuffy fanwankery.


**Warning: **Spoilers for "Angel" 5x20, "The Girl in Question"

**Home**

Harmony stuck her head into Angel's office.  "Spike, there's a call on two for you."

Spike looked up from the magazine he was reading.  "For me?  Who'd be calling me?"

"Said his name was Andrew."  Harmony shrugged and closed the door.

Spike jumped up from his chair and dove for Angel's phone.  "Andrew?" he said.  "Something happen to Buffy?"

There was silence on the other end.  Then, very softly, a voice said, "Spike?"

Spike closed his eyes.  "Buffy," he breathed.

"Andrew said you were alive.  And that you and Angel were here a few days ago.  I didn't believe him."  She sounded so far away, Spike thought.

"Buffy?  I'm sorry I didn't tell you, love.  I…  I wasn't sure you'd care."

He heard her laugh, but it wasn't a happy sound.  "You didn't think I'd care."  It wasn't a question.  "After everything we've been through together, after that last year, your soul, what I told you…  No.  You're right.  Why would I care?"

"Buffy," Spike said.  But she'd hung up.

Spike held the phone to his ear for a while longer, hoping she'd somehow magically start talking to him again.  He was still standing there when Angel came in.

"Spike, what are you doing?" Angel asked, grabbing the phone from Spike's hand and hanging it up.  "I thought I told you to go check out the Radmunson matter.  The parents whose children were turned into monkey demons?"

"I gotta go back to Rome," Spike said.

"I'd send Gunn, but he's not talking to me right—what?"  Angel stopped and looked at Spike.  "You're going back to Rome?  Why?"

"Just got a call."  Spike ran a hand over his face.  "She didn't know I was back.  Thought I was still dust at the bottom of the Hellmouth."

"Buffy didn't know you were back?  I thought Andrew told her."

"He apparently just did.  That was her on the phone."

Angel quickly looked at the phone.  "That was Buffy?  What did she say?  Is she still with The Immortal?"

"She didn't say.  I have to go.  Can I use the jet?"

Angel came around the desk.  "I'll go with you."

"No.  No.  I need to go alone."

"Like hell!"

"Angel," Spike said, coldly.  "I will do this alone.  With or without the bloody jet and definitely without you."

"Fine," Angel said, narrowing his eyes.  "Take the jet.  Go."

Spike walked to the office doors.  He opened them, then turned back to Angel.  "Thanks," he said.

Angel sat down heavily in his chair.  "Yeah.  No problem."

Buffy turned to Andrew after hanging up on Spike.  "So it's true.  Spike really is back.  And you've known for months."

"He asked me to let him tell you himself," Andrew told her.  "But then he and Angel showed up and they were all worried about you and The Immortal and I just didn't know what to tell them.  You're not going to kill me, are you?"  He scooted to the end of the couch and put his arms over his head.  

"Oh, please.  If I haven't killed you by now, I probably won't."  She stood up and began to pace around the apartment.  "This is unbelievable, though.  Why didn't he tell me?  He knows how I feel.  I told him!  Why didn't he come to see me?"

"Well…" Andrew said.

"Before now.  Before Angel came to try to break up another of my relationships.  What the hell's wrong with him?"

"Which one now?" Andrew asked.

Buffy rolled her eyes.  "Both, I guess."

She sat on the couch again and put her head in her hands.  "My God, Andrew.  He's alive."

"Um, technically?  Being a vampire?  He's more undead," Andrew said helpfully.

"Shut up or I will kill you."

Spike softly knocked on the door of apartment 34.  He wasn't sure if he'd be greeted with a stake or not, so he quickly stepped back.

The door opened slowly and there she was.  She was tan.  Her hair was blonder than last year.  She'd put on a little weight, filling her face out better.  She looked beautiful.

"Buffy," Spike said, ducking his head.

She made a noise.  He looked up at her.  She was crying.  "God, Buffy."  Spike stepped forward and pulled her into his arms.  She came willingly, wrapping herself around him tightly.

"You stupid undead asshole," she said into his duster collar.  "I finally get my life together and here you are."

Spike smoothed her hair.  "I shouldn't have come.  Sorry, love."

Buffy leaned back to look at his face.  She touched his cheek.  "I'm so glad to see you.  But I also need to do this."  She pulled her fist back and punched him.

Spike released her to grab his nose.  "Ow!  Bloody hell!  Well, good to see some things never change."

Then Buffy was clutching him and kissing him.  And she tasted like home.

**End—or Beginning**


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